


Why should it matter?

by RoterTeufel11



Series: Perfect little family [10]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Family Fluff, Fluff, Gen, mention of past Swanfire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-23
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2019-03-22 23:04:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13774494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoterTeufel11/pseuds/RoterTeufel11
Summary: This story is about Emma explaining to her daughter Dawn that Henry is (biologicly) not Killian's son. See how Dawn, who loves her brother with all her heart, takes it. And what she has to say about the word "half-brother".





	Why should it matter?

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this back in season 4, so it is not canon. Emma's and Killian's daughter is born when Henry is 14.

It was a quiet Sunday noon. Killian and Henry were out sailing, so Emma had time to some things in the apartment. She was just folding the fresh washed sheets, when her daughter Dawn approached her.

"Mommy, can I ask you something?", the little black haired girl asked. Her emerald green eyes were filled with curiosity. Like most times.

Emma chuckled softly, lifted her daughter up so she sat on the couch next to her. "Go ahead, baby. What do you want to know?"

The little girl tapped her index finger to her chin as she thought about where to being. Emma suppressed a laughter. That gesture was usually performed by her husband and adapted by her son, sometimes. But seeing her little girl do it, was just so adorable.

"Well, I was eating pancakes with Henry. And we met Mr. Gold. And Henry called him grandpa. Why did he do that?", Dawn asked.

Emma had to swallow as her throat felt like a desert. This was the question Emma had always been afraid of to answer. Telling her daughter, who looked at her older brother like had hung the stars and moon, that her brother and she were only half siblings. That they didn't have the same father. That Killian was not Henry's father by blood. That Emma had once loved another man. Neal.

But she had no choice. Her daughter was quit clever and if she didn't tell her Dawn would get someone else to tell her. Henry, Killian, David and Regina couldn't deny this child anything she wanted. And Ruby, Belle and Granny were also wax in her little hands when she played her cards right.

So she worked up her courage and started to reveal the truth to her daughter. Well, a truth suitable for kids.

"I will explain that to you, baby girl. See, Mr. Gold is Henry's grandpa. He was the daddy of Henry's daddy."

Now the girl looked at her mother in confusion. Even the little girl knew that Killian and Gold hated each other. They might not try to kill each other anymore, but the bad vibes between them had not faded away.

"Alright. You know that mommies and daddies make babies together.", Emma began.

Dawn nodded. "Like the baby in your tummy, mommy." She pointed at Emma's stomach.

Emma chuckled. "Exactly, Dawn. You're a very clever girl. Mommy and daddy made a baby and this is now in mommy's tummy. You were once in my tummy, too, when I had made you with daddy. But…"

She paused, trying not to show her overflowing emotions in front of her daughter. Thinking about Neal was not something she did often lately. But when she did, it still hurt.

"Long before I met daddy, I was in love with someone else. His name…was Baelfire."

Telling her daughter his name was Neal would maybe be a bit too confusing as Dawn's uncle also carried that name.

"We loved each other and so we made Henry. Baelfire was the son of Mr. Gold. He has died years before you were born."

And as she was going, Emma thought she could also let the other bomb slip out, too, so she didn't have to do this painful reminding about the painful circumstances of Henry's conception and birth.

"But Baelfire and I couldn't stay together and we were still young and not able to take care of Henry. So Regina adopted him and raised him all by herself for the first ten years of his life. That's why Henry calls Regina mommy."

Dawn took a moment to let all the information sink in. Then she looked at Emma again. "And why does Henry call daddy "daddy"?"

"Well, Henry lost his daddy. So when mommy and daddy got together, daddy looked out for Henry. "

Emma searched for the right words to explain the wonderful relationship between her son and her husband.

"What do you think a parent is?"

Dawn thought for a minute. "Someone who reads you stories and puts you to bed and loves you?", she answered a bit uncertain.

"Exactly, baby girl. It's not just about making a baby. It's about raising a child. Someone who teaches you stuff. Someone who plays with you. Someone who buys you things like toys."

"And food!", her daughter interrupted her excited.

"Right, and food. Someone who comforts you, when you're sad, who takes care of you when you're not feeling well. And most importantly, someone who loves you with all their heart. And when mommy and daddy got married daddy was officially Henry's daddy, too. Step-dad, but still, just like Robin is by marrying Regina."

"So, daddy loves Henry because he loves you?", Dawn asked, trying to put the pieces together.

Tears were whelming up in Emma's eyes. She lifted her daughter onto her lap and held her close.

"No, baby girl. That is the beautiful thing. Daddy and Henry love each other not because of me, but because they care so much for each other. They have a really deep connection, a special connection. And daddy loves Henry, just as much as he loves you. The same way he loves you, despite the fact that Henry is just your half-brother."

Dawn's eyebrows pinched together. "What does half-brother mean, mommy?"

"It mean you only share one parent, in your case the mommy."

Dawn shook her head. "I don't like this word. Henry is my brother. You just said that. It does not matter if he has another daddy. Daddy is his daddy, you are his mommy and he is my brother.", exclaimed as if it was the most logical thing in the world.

Later when her boys came home, Dawn ran right to Henry. He lifted her up and carried her through the room.

"It is nice to get such a great welcome home.", he said and planted a kiss on his sisters cheek.

Killian, who had wrapped his arms around Emma, watched the scene with amusement.

"And to what do I owe this pleasure, little one?", Henry asked as he sat down on the couch. His sister still clung to him like a koala baby.

The little girl just laughed, pressed a big kiss to her brother's cheek and explained. "I just love you. You are my brother and daddy is your daddy. I will always share him with you!"

Now the men chuckled with amusement, not quite getting what she was trying to say with it.

"What do you mean, little pirate?", Killian asked curious, still embracing his wife.

"Well, I asked mommy something and she told me that you and mommy didn't make Henry, but that you are still his daddy."

Killian looked at his wife and then at his children, full with love. "That is right, little love. You're mommy is quite the brilliant woman." Now he planted a kiss to Emma's cheek.

Henry gave his sister a serious look. "And it really doesn't matter to you that I'm have an other daddy than you? That I'm only your half-brother?" Obviously, not only Emma had been terrified for Dawn to find this fact out.

"Why should it matter?", Dawn asked, totally puzzled. Then, determination took over her face. "And I forbid anyone to call you half-brother."

The siblings hugged closely and Emma could have sworn she had seen a tear escaping Henry's eyes.

"I am just happy mommy told me. I'm happy I don't have to call Mr. Gold "grandpa".", Dawn explained serious, her wise talking sometimes letting you forget she was still so little.

Her parents and her brother began to shock in laughter. Dawn might not know what was so funny, but she joined in, just happy to be laughing with her family.


End file.
